Valve structure



Sept. 8, 1936; J. J. ARNOLD VALVE STRUCTURE Filed May- 25, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY nys A /we r Mex 1121'- 4%;

Patented Sept. 8, 1933 warren STATES en-re ressin VALVE STRUCTURE J. Jennings Arnold, Seattle, Wash.

Application May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,076

9 Claims.

My invention relates to valve structure and particularly is directed to an arrangement peculiarly adapted to be applied to tubes and the like as employed in dispensing tooth paste.

The object, generally stated, is the provision of simplified, inexpensive, and especially efi'icient structure of this character, the particular advantages of which reside in the provision of a nonremovable cap member, a discharge orifice the capacity of which may be regulated by the extent of retraction of the cap member, and wiping mechanism operated by the cap member to remove excess material remaining about the discharge orifice following expression of paste from the same.

With these and further objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing, wherein is represented a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure l is a side elevational view indicating the invention in conjunction with a collapsible paste-dispensing tube.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof to an enlarged scale with the locking fingers which operate to prevent dislodgement of the cap being represented in full and dotted lines to indicate the manner in which the parts are assembled; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View with the valve retracted for dispensing the tube contents, parts being broken away and shown in section.

In said drawing, the tube with which the invention is illustrated is of the collapsible char acter from which the contents are discharged by compressing the tube between the fingers, being adapted to be filled through the lower end and subsequently sealed through the medium of a clip. I represent the tube by the numeral 5 and the clip therefor by 6. 7

Especially having reference to the invention, I employ with said tube a head member, inflexible or relatively so, which is cast or otherwise formed from lead alloy or other like or suitable material and fused to the upper end of the tube, said head member comprising a shoulder portion 1, preferably of a conical configuration, and an extended tubular discharge neck 8 leading therefrom and provided at its upper end with interior threads.

Received over said neck I provide a knurled cap member 9 formed with a stud extension threaded at its upper endto engage the threads of the neck and having a plunger portion therebelow, as indicated by it, adapted to snugly fit the cylindrical lower wall of the stem. Below the plunger the stud member is further formed with a reduced stem portion i2, said stem being of a length to extend into the tube and terminating in furcate extensions l3 adapted to be spread laterally to engage, responsive to retractive rotation of the cap member, against the underside of the shoulder I. At diametrically opposite sides adjacent the root ends of the extensions i3, said neck i 2 is or may be notched to facilitate spread- Also provided by said cap member is an exterior sleeve iii of a length approximating that of the neck 8 and adapted to surround the same, said sleeve, as with the plunger iii, normally sealing an orifice i6 extending through the wall of the neck in proximity of the necks lower end. Said orifice desirably is of a triangular configuration to regulate the effective capacity from a minute to an extended opening. Indicated at H in said sleeve is an air-port leading to the space above the neck to prevent the development of a vacuous condition therein responsive to retraction of the cap member.

The operation of the invention is believed clear. The extensions i3 may be spread by means of a wedge or other suitable instrument prior to filling the tube. In the discharge of the paste from the tube the cap member is retracted ac cording to the size opening desired and, by compressing the tube, the contents are expressed laterally through the orifice i6. Extensions [3 prevent removal of the cap member by engaging against the shoulder l. Following the dispensing of such quantity of paste as may be desired, the stud portion of the cap member is rethreaded into the stem, the sleeve 55 operating to wipe the outer surface of the neck and the plunger it the inner surface, said plunger, moreover, forcing such paste as remains in the cylinder portion of the stem into the body proper of the tube.

It is to be noted that the extensions it serve to a certain extent in agitating the contents of the tube as the cap member is revolved.

Numerous modifications of the invention with.- in the scope of the hereto annexed claims will be apparent. It is obviously not my intention to limit the invention to the structural form disclosed nor is it my intention to confine the uses 50 to which the same may be put.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a receptacle, a tubular outlet neck therefor interiorly threaded at its outer end with a cylindrical valve seat below the 55 threads, said neck being provided with a discharge orifice extending through the wall of said valve seat portion, a closure for said orifice comprising a retractible cap member formed with a stud extension threadably received in the neck, said stud extension being formed with a plunger element fitting the valve seat to normally lap the interior opening of the orifice and with an axially extending reduced stem projecting from the plunger element into the receptacle, the terminal end of said stem being slotted to provide furcate fingers adapted to be spread laterally to extend beyond the diametrical dimensions of the neck, and a sleeve also provided by the cap member to surround the neck in normally sealing the exterior opening of the discharge orifice.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said orifice is of a triangular shape to afford regulation from a minute to an extended opening responsive to progressive retraction of the cap member.

3. In combination with a receptacle, an interiorly threaded discharge neck therefor and provided with a cylinder portion below the threads operating as a valve seat, the cylinder side wall being provided with a discharge orifice, a retractible valve member for the seat provided with threads above the valve portion engaging the threads of the neck and having a reduced axially extending stem below the valve portion projecting into the receptacle, means for rotating said valve to open the discharge orifice, and means at the terminal end of said stem for limiting the extent of retraction of the valve.

4. In combination with a receptacle, a discharge neck therefor formed with a cylindrical valve seat the wall of which is apertured to form an outlet opening, a rotary valve for said valve seat operating to normally lap said opening, thread connection between said valve .and the neck for axially retracting the valve responsive to rotary movement of the valve, a reduced stem extending from said valve into the receptacle provided with fingers extending laterally beyond the diametrical dimensions of the valve seat for limiting the extent of axial retraction of the valve, and means connected with said valve and sleeved over the exterior surface of the neck for wiping the same responsive to axial movement of the valve.

5. A valve structure for a receptacle comprising a discharge neck having a cylinder portion therein operating as a valve seat, the wall of said cylinder being apertured to provide an outlet orifice, a rotary valve for said valve seat normally acting to seal said outlet orifice, thread connection between said valve and the neck for operating said valve longitudinally of the neck to expose the outlet orifice responsive to thread retraction of the valve, and means carried by the valve and extending into the receptacle for limit ing the extent of thread retraction of the valve, said means comprising a reduced stem formed at its terminal end with laterally extending fingers projecting beyond the diametrical dimensions of the neck.

6. A valve structure for a receptacle comprising a discharge neck having an outlet port through the side of the same, and rotary closure means having thread connection with the interior of the neck and provided with a sleeve surrounding the neck, said sleeve providing a Wiping edge extending circumferentially about the neck to wipe the latter in opening and closing the outlet port progressively with the relative thread-influenced longitudinal movement of the sleeve, and an extension from the closure means projecting through the neck into the interior of the receptacle having means for limiting the extent of retractive rotation of the closure means, said extension defining a channel between the same and the inner Wallof the neck for the passage of the receptacle contents.

'7. A valve structure for a receptacle comprising a discharge neck having an outlet port through the side of the same, and longitudinally movable closure means for said neck including a wiping sleeve extending circumferentially about the neck for wiping the wall of the neck in opening and closing the outlet port progressively with the relative longitudinal movement of the closure means, said closure means having an extension projecting through the neck into the interior of the receptacle provided with means for limiting the extent of longitudinal retraction of the closure means, the extension defining a channel between the same and the inner wall of the neck for the passage of the receptacle contents.

8. A valve structure for a receptacle which comprises a discharge neck formed with an orifice through the wall of the neck operating as a port through which the contents of the receptacle are adapted to be discharged, a retractible rotary valve member having thread connection with the neck and providing a plunger portion the convex surface of which is adapted to normally lap the discharge port of the neck with the port-regulating edge of said convex surface extending about the entire circumference of the plunger portion to afford a progressive increase and decrease, according to the direction of movement of the plunger portion, in the size of the port opening relatively with the rotary movement of the valve member, and means of a reduced diameter relative to the convex surface of the plunger portion adapted to extend from the plunger portion into the interior of the receptacle for limiting the extent of retraction of the valve member, said reduced diameter of the extension defining a channel about the extension to accommodate the passage of the receptacle contents from the interior of the receptacle to the discharge orifice.

9. A non-removable closure for the outlet opening of a receptacle comprising a retractibl cap, a stem carried by the cap adapted to extend through the outlet opening into the interior of the receptacle, and means comprising terminally disposed furcat-e fingers provided by the stem and adapted to be spread within the receptacle to extend laterally beyond the interior dimensions of the opening for resisting removal of the closure, each of said fingers in proximity of the root ends of the same being formed with an exterior notch of a relative V-shape to facilitate the lateral spreading of the fingers.

J. JENNINGS ARNOLD. 

